Enter Sandman
by sweetkiwi604
Summary: It was always hard to leave a friend behind when it came time for a move but what if that friend was never really there to begin with? Caryl. One shot. Complete.


**Not much but it was an idea that wouldn't leave me alone until I typed it up. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think :)**

Enter Sandman

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take," Sophia finished saying her bedtime prayers and climbed under the covers. She wasn't necessarily religious and didn't believe in the big man upstairs but it had become a habit every night before she went to sleep. In fact, she hadn't even thought about prayers until her friend Haley basically scolded her for not doing so. "Night, momma," she yawned, snuggling further into the covers. "Night, Daryl."

"Sweet dreams," Carol kissed her forehead and headed for the door, nodding to Daryl to hit the lights.

Sophia peered over the top of the blankets, "Don't forget Haley."

"Sweet dreams, Haley," Carol blew a kiss through the room before shutting the door until it was only open a crack.

Sophia smiled to her friend who lay next to her, "Told you momma likes you. She's not going to make you leave. You're my best friend."

"I sure hope so. I can't go home."

"You can stay with me."

"Promise?" Haley held up her pinky finger.

Sophia encircled it with her own, kissing her thumb to solidify the promise. "I promise."

"We should say it again before we sleep. Just in case."

Sophia sighed, "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take."

The rhyme had gotten stuck in her head and she started saying it every night more for the fact she liked the sound of it. It was a part of their routine. She would say her prayers, Carol would tuck her in, and Daryl would turn out the light. The plastic stars she had begged him to adhere to her ceiling glowed in the dark room, giving her just enough light to see in case she needed to get up in the middle of the night. There were many shadows in the dark room but as long as Haley was right next to her she knew there was no reason to be afraid.

Sleep would call to her quickly and she would wake the next morning refreshed and ready for the day. When she finally made her way into the kitchen, hair mussed, her breakfast was waiting for her and Haley at the table. She stabbed at the eggs, getting aggravated when they fell off her fork, and crunched loudly on her toast.

Carol was happy to see her daughter adjusting so well to the news of having to move to a new town in a few short weeks. Sophia hadn't really talked about anything but her adventures with Haley. "Chew your food before you swallow."

Sophia grumbled something unintelligible and Carol had to fight the smirk off her face. There definitely were a few traits she was picking up from Daryl but she'd take it. Anything Sophia inherited from Daryl was one last thing she got from Ed.

"Listen to your momma, kid," Daryl walked through the kitchen, his hand ghosting across Carol's stomach as he passed by her to get to the coffee pot. Sophia took a big sarcastic bite and Carol shot her a look but didn't say anything. "Headin' out with Merle for the day to check the floors in the new place but should be home by dinner."

"Okay," Carol nodded before sitting down opposite of Sophia. "You know, I have a few errands to run today but if you want we can see if one of your friends from school wants to spend the night. It might be nice to say goodbye."

Sophia shook her head almost immediately, "No, it's okay."

Carol turned to share a look of confusion with Daryl who shrugged in response. He didn't know much about having sleepovers and even less about little girls. He could just imagine all the giggling and squeals and it made him wonder if he could get 'stuck' at Merle's for the night. Sophia turned it down though so for at least tonight he would be safe.

Daryl stole a piece of bacon off Sophia's plate and kissed the back of Carol's head before heading out the back door. A few moments later his truck rumbled to life and he was gone. Carol turned the warm mug of coffee around in her hand. "Sophia, is there any reason you don't want to have a friend over?"

The little girl shook her head again. "Haley and I are going to play with the doll house in the attic today."

"Alright," she sighed, unwilling to push the subject too much. "Well, finish your breakfast and get dressed. I have to get to the store soon if I'm going to have dinner ready by the time Daryl comes home."

"Can't I stay here? I'm old enough. I'll lock the door as soon as you leave, not answer it or the phone." When it looked like Carol was on the fence about it Sophia sighed, jutting out her bottom lip into a pout. "Please? I'll have Haley with me."

Carol stared at her daughter as every possible scenario ran through her mind of what could go wrong. She wanted to say no, to drag her with her to the store, but she couldn't keep her guarded forever. Her little girl had to grow up eventually no matter how much she hated the idea. "Fine," she relented and Sophia's smile grew wider than the Cheshire Cat. "But," she pointed her finger at her, "Don't get used it. We'll try it this once and see how it goes. If you get scared then my number is by the phone and I'll come home, okay?"

"Haley and I will be fine."

**X-X-X**

The two girls sat in the attic playing with an old wooden doll house more lifelike than Sophia had ever seen before. Each room had different wallpaper; there was a small grandfather's clock in the living room, and a candle stick in the dining room. The bedroom had a hand stitched, canopy bed and the bathroom was an old clawfoot tub. Sophia moved the plastic doll into the kitchen as if it were making dinner for the family.

"Haley, why aren't you playing with me today?"

Haley stood at the window of the attic, staring out into the backyard. "Your family is moving."

"I know, mom got a new job and Daryl and Merle are fixing up a new house for us to live in so we can be further away from my real dad."

Haley slowly turned her head to look at Sophia, her long curls falling over her shoulder. "But you promised you wouldn't leave."

"You can come with us. I saw my new room and-"

"Do you even listen?" Haley shouted, causing Sophia to drop the doll in her hand. Haley had never yelled at her before. "I can't go home. You need to stay."

Sophia swallowed a bit in fear at the crazed look in her friend's eyes, "I can't stay here without momma and Daryl. You can come, Haley."

"You promised!" Haley screamed and the small window in the attic shattered. In the blink of an eye Haley stood in front of Sophia. "Don't you want to be my friend?"

Scared of out her wits, Sophia started for the stairs but Haley grabbed her wrist in an iron grip. "We can have sleepovers every night and never go to school and be the best of friends."

Sophia wretched her arm away, cradling it to her body as she ran towards the stairs. This wasn't what having a friend was supposed to be like. Not at all.

**X-X-X**

That night at dinner Sophia barely touched her food, her eyes dancing around the kitchen waiting for Haley to come eat with them like she always did but she never showed.

Daryl washed down his food with a beer and cleared his throat, "Something happen to the window today?"

Carol's brow creased in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Noticed the attic window was busted out."

Carol's gaze immediately landed on Sophia who bowed her head. "Nuh-uh, miss, spill. What happened?"

"It wasn't me!"

Carol let out a long breath as she shared a look with Daryl. She had been waiting for Sophia to act out of the move but this was no where near what she had expected. "Sophia, you were the only one here."

"It was Haley! Honest!"

"Sophia, that's enough!" Carol's hand smacked the table in frustration. "Now, I've played along with this little game but I will not have you lying to my face."

"I'm not, I swear!" Sophia flashed her watery eyes over to Daryl. "You believe me, don't you? I didn't do anything. It was Haley!"

Carol didn't give Daryl a chance to respond, "Haley isn't real. She's your imaginary friend."

Sophia pushed up her sleeves and held her arm out to Carol and Daryl, showing them a small red handprint around her wrist. "Then how did I get this?"


End file.
